The Masters 2015: Top Odds, Predictions and Storylines for Sunday's Action
You know a golfer is having a good time out on the links—no matter the level of competition, really—when he has a chance to shoot the equivalent of his age under par. But doing it at the Masters? Simply phenomenal.
We're not quite there yet, but 21-year-old Jordan Spieth tops the 2015 Masters field heading into the fourth and final round, and he sits at 16 under for the competition. A 67 on Sunday would get him to 21 under par, virtually guarantee him his first major win and make his achievement the mother of all sports-related trivia questions.
Then again, he might shoot even better.
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Spieth paces the field and is far and away the odds-on favorite to don the green jacket at the conclusion of Sunday's proceedings, although a surge in play from several big stars on Saturday will likely make the final 18 holes a bit nervy for him. Justin Rose sits four strokes back after a five-under third round, while Phil Mickelson is in the thick of things at 11 under.
There's also Charley Hoffman playing at his best at 10 under, and the likes of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy lurking at six under, among others, after fantastic Saturday performances.
Here's a look at the top odds and storylines heading into the final round at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
| Jordan Spieth | -16 | 4-9 | 1 |
| Justin Rose | -12 | 9-2 | 3 |
| Phil Mickelson | -11 | 11-2 | 2 |
| Charley Hoffman | -10 | 30-1 | T4 |
| Rory McIlroy | -6 | 80-1 | 5 |
| Tiger Woods | -6 | 125-1 | T4 |
| Dustin Johnson | -6 | 150-1 | 10 |
| Kevin Na | -6 | 350-1 | 6 |
| Kevin Streelman | -6 | 400-1 | T7 |
Note: Odds via Oddschecker and updated as of Sunday, April 12 at 5 a.m. ET.
How Will Spieth Handle the Sunday Pressure?
Just 18 holes of golf stand between Spieth and fame, (greater) fortune and the coveted green jacket. Of course, with some of the sport's best talents lying in wait, one has to wonder if the young player has what it takes to complete what so far has been an epic, record-setting run at Augusta.
Spieth began the Masters with a first-round score of 64 and followed it up with a 66 on Friday. He stumbled a bit on moving day, leaving a few shots short on the rain-softened greens and perhaps most notably notching an unfortunate double-bogey on the No. 17 hole that left daylight for those chasing his shadow at Augusta.
Spieth's masterful control would have to abandon him completely for anyone beyond Rose, Mickelson or Hoffman to catch him, but it is not out of the realm of possibility, long as the odds may be.
ESPN Stats & Info noted greater comebacks have been made at the Masters than the ones facing those three directly trailing Spieth:
Considering the form Spieth showed coming into this tournament, however, a collapse seems like a remote possibility.
| 12/07/14 | Hero World Challenge | 1 | 262 | -26 |
| 2/01/15 | Waste Management Phoenix Open | T7 | 273 | -11 |
| 2/08/15 | Farmers Insurance Open | CUT | 147 | 3 |
| 2/15/15 | AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am | T7 | 271 | -16 |
| 2/22/15 | Northern Trust Open | T4 | 279 | -5 |
| 3/08/15 | WGC-Cadillac Championship | T17 | 289 | 1 |
| 3/15/15 | Valspar Championship | P1 | 274 | -10 |
| 3/29/15 | Valero Texas Open | 2 | 281 | -7 |
| 4/05/15 | Shell Houston Open | P2 | 272 | -16 |
Indeed, the young Texan seems ready for the challenge of bearing down and focusing on Sunday.
"It’s just about throwing those out of my mind," Spieth said, per Karen Crouse of The New York Times. "Not worrying about it, not caring, setting a goal and being patient with the opportunities that are going to come my way. I feel comfortable with the way I’m striking the ball. My putting stroke feels good."
The wunderkind may be on a rather dizzying ascent to the top of his sport, but that shouldn't phase him. Spieth has the right stuff and will be donning a green jacket come Sunday's conclusion at Augusta.
Prediction: Spieth wins, shoots 69 or better
Will Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson Collect Another Green Jacket?
Mickelson has three Masters wins in his career; Tiger has four. Both have outside shots at catching Spieth on Sunday, with Lefty's far greater than Woods', and a win for either of them would not only serve as vindication of his talent but perhaps turn 2015 into one of the most interesting years of golf in quite some time.
At age 44, Mickelson has shown little signs of slowing down at this point in his wildly successful career, although he hasn't won a major since The Open Championship in 2013. Seeing him mix it up with the young guns such as Spieth, McIlroy and Rickie Fowler after another major win would be a huge boost for the game of golf.
Mickelson sank a ridiculous 40-foot putt on Saturday, evidence via Bleacher Report:
While I'm not predicting Spieth to relinquish the top spot on the board, look for Mickelson—paired with fellow San Diego native Hoffman in the final round—to make him sweat and overtake Rose in the process.
ESPN's Jason Sobel noted Woods' excellent score at the Masters would have been seen as improbable not too long ago:
Indeed, Woods wasn't even a lock to play until shortly before the tournament after a roughly two-month layoff from the PGA Tour. His play was hardly immaculate on Saturday, but there were fist pumps mixed in with the sweat, grimaces and self-criticism.
Austin Knoblauch of the Los Angeles Times noted one of his better efforts in the round:
"His biggest save of the day -- and possibly of his entire career at Augusta National -- came on 13 when Woods botched his tee shot with a "snap hook" that sent the ball flying into the rough. It could have been much worse, but the 14-time major winner put together a string of incredible shots that culminated in a spectacular 15-foot putt for birdie.
"
Woods referenced the hole when describing his day as a mixture of strong play and missed opportunities.
"I had my chances to make this a really special round today,” Woods said, via Knoblauch. “Man, I had it going there for a little bit. I made a stupidly good birdie at 13 and a stupidly bad bogey at 14. You know, it all evens out.”
In a bridging of different golf generations, Woods will be paired with McIlroy on Sunday. Woods played with longtime rival Sergio Garcia on Saturday and had an overall stunning round. Look for the challenge of playing against the world No. 1 to bring out the beast in Tiger.
Prediction: Mickelson finishes second; Woods finishes tied for fourth, cards a 69
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